Free Lying Lips by Mahaughani Fiyah

together before the enemies arrive,” she said as she rolled her eyes to the ceiling. “And you have a phone call to take.”
    I blushed a little, knew she was right. It was now time to deal with Asanti. Time to come back to the present, and the future. “I understand,” I smiled at her, then waved her off as she dug into her purse to retrieve money for lunch. “I’ve got it, you get out of here.”
    “You sure?” She asked as she tried to lay the money on the table.
    The bullets in my eyes told her more than enough. And with a heartfelt goodbye, Marilyn Zimmerman put her money back in her purse and was gone.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter 7
     
     
    “Hello,” I answered the phone, annoyed to no end the second Marilyn was out of hearing distance.
    “Where the hell have you been?” Asanti asked me quietly. Coldly.
    “Hello to you too.” I said slowly, deliberately. I needed to ease back into this carefully.
    “Forget the pleasantries, Legaci,” he dismissed my greeting. “Where the hell have you been?”
    “I’ve been working, Asanti.”
    “Since two o’clock yesterday afternoon? Do you realize that I haven’t heard from my wife since two o’clock yesterday and it’s two o’clock the next damn day?” He was pissed.
    “I realize that, yes.” I remained calm.
    “Then why? I’ve called you repeatedly since ten o’clock last night.  Could you not answer the phone once? Just once to say baby I’m alright.”
    “Baby, I’m alright.”
    The moment those words escaped my lips I knew they were the wrong ones. So much for easing back carefully.
    Asanti was silent for a long time before he spoke. “Am I a joke to you, Legaci? Someone you think is okay to toy with?” he spoke quietly, his rage simmering just below the surface.
    I sighed deeply, preparing for the battle that I knew was to come. “You’re not a joke. I was just—” I was just cut off by an angry husband.
    “I didn’t sleep, Legaci. I never closed my eyes. I worried about you all night and I sat by the phone like an idiot waiting for you, my loving wife, to call.” He inhaled deeply before going on. “I waited and worried. All night.”
    “Baby, I’m fine. The jet lag got the best of me and I went to bed really early. I didn’t know the phone was ringing because I slept like a log all night and when I woke early this morning I went straight to work.” That lie came easily.
    “You didn’t think to call me and tell me that when you got up? You didn’t think I would be worried about my wife ?”
    That was why I didn’t want to deal with him just yet.
    I was annoyed. Very annoyed.
    “What I think is that you’re over reacting. What I thought was that you’d realize I’m a big girl and can take care of myself. I’m not a little girl, Asanti. I’m grown.” I started to speak a little too loud for the restaurant and hurried to leave the facility, quickly dropping a fifty dollar bill on the table, more than enough to cover both meals and the tip, before rushing out.
    “I understand that you’re grown, Legaci, but do you understand that you’re married ?”
    The question got under my skin. Deep under my skin. I understood that I was married a hell of a lot more than he knew.
    “I understand that fact, yes.”
    “Then when are you going to act like it? I’m not some kid to be toyed with one minute and tossed aside the next minute. I’m not a pillow to fall back on whenever it’s convenient for you. I’m your husband .”
    “I know that,” my nerves were on edge.
    “Based on your actions last night, today, and right this minute, I can’t tell that you know much of anything.” His delivery was cold, calculated, and callous.
    And his words were the straw that broke the cranky camel’s back.
    “Hold up, hubby , “I began, seething with rage at his insult to my intelligence. “You are absolutely